Shirley Baker

Hastings resident, Shirley Potter Baker, 80, passed away Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at Perkins Pavilion Good Samaritan Society-Hastings Village, of complications due to cancer.

Services will be Monday, January 4, 2010; 10:30 A.M. at First United Methodist Church, Hastings with the Rev. Dr. Samuel R. Rathod officiating. Burial will be at 2:00 P.M. in Fairfield Cemetery, Fairfield, Nebraska. Visitation will be Sunday, January 3, 2010; 1:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. with the family present from 3:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. at Livingston-Butler-Volland Funeral Home, and 1 hour prior to service at First United Methodist Church. Memorials may be given to First United Methodist Church, Mary Lanning Hospice, or to the family.

Shirley Jean Patton was born on July 9, 1929, in Fairfield, Nebraska to Gaylord T. & Bess A. (Hoydar) Patton. Shirley attended school in Fairfield, graduating from Fairfield High School in 1946. She worked in her father's jewelry store before leaving for Mississippi where she married Richard (Dick) O. Potter on January 10, 1948, at Kessler Air Force Base. They had two sons, Richard III and Jon. The couple moved permanently to Hastings in 1975, where Dick was associated with the House of Optics. He passed away May 28, 1999. Shirley married Kenneth D. Baker on April 29, 2006 in Hastings. He passed away September 28, 2009. Shirley was a secretary/administrative assistant for various companies in Chicago, Grand Island, Lexington, Crete and Hastings. She retired in 2003. She was a member of First United Methodist Church; United Methodist Women Unit and Group 5; was current Worthy Matron of the Eastern Star, O.E.S. Kensington, and Daughters of the Nile.

Shirley was preceded in death by parents; two husbands, Richard (Dick) O. Potter and Kenneth D. Baker; and an infant brother, Roger Dean.

Survivors include:
Sons & Daughters-in-law : Rich & Sharon Potter - Ponca, NE
Jon & Lori Potter - Elizabeth, CO
Grandsons : Ryan Potter - Ponca, NE
Jeff Potter - Olathe, KS
Adam Potter - Elizabeth, CO
Step-Children & Spouses : Carla & Bob Micek - Grand Island, NE
Terri & Bob Marro - Englewood, CO
Sara Nicholas - Lincoln, NE
Kendra & Ed Dubas - Lincoln, NE
Connie & Bernie Leonard - Overland Park, KS
Mike & Margie Steiner - Fremont, NE
Step-Grandchildren : 14
Step-Great-Grandchildren : 13
Several cousins .